NFL Week 9 Odds and Betting Trends

For the third week in a row, the New Orleans Saints (6-1) will be tested in one of the biggest games on the slate as they look to extend their winning streak to seven games. This Sunday, the Saints will host the undefeated Los Angeles Rams (8-0) as 1.5-point home favorites on the NFL Week 9 odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com after they beat the Baltimore Ravens (4-4) and Minnesota Vikings (4-3-1) on the road the previous two weeks.

Meanwhile, the Rams have gone 1-3-1 against the spread in their last five games, according to the OddsShark NFL Database, despite winning all of them to remain the league’s lone unbeaten team. However, Los Angeles does have a favorable recent history versus New Orleans, winning three of the past four meetings and going 6-2 ATS in the previous eight, including a 26-20 home victory last year as a 2.5-point favorite.

The other marquee matchup will take place on Sunday Night Football when the Green Bay Packers (3-3-1) visit the New England Patriots (6-2) as six-point road underdogs. The Packers nearly upset the Rams last week in falling 29-27 on the road but still managed to cover easily as 7.5-point underdogs. The Patriots have failed to cover four straight at home in this series but won five in a row overall since a 1-2 start.

Another hot team is the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2-1), and they will go for their fourth consecutive victory on Sunday when they visit the aforementioned Ravens as three-point road underdogs. The Steelers have seen running back James Conner step up by averaging 122.3 yards and two touchdowns during their three-game winning streak, with Le’Veon Bell remaining out due to a contract dispute. Pittsburgh has won three of the past four meetings, but Baltimore pulled off a 26-14 victory at Heinz Field in Week 4.

Like the Ravens, the Vikings are in desperate need of a win too as they host the Detroit Lions (3-4) in a key NFC North matchup as consensus five-point home favorites. Minnesota has gone 16-4 straight up in the previous 20 home meetings versus Detroit, and the team is an impressive 8-1 SU and 9-0 ATS in its last nine before a bye as well.

Two more Sunday games of note include the Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) visiting the Cleveland Browns (2-5-1) as 8.5-point road favorites and the Carolina Panthers (5-2) hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) as 6.5-point home favorites.

The Browns were the first team to fire their head coach this season when they relieved both Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley of their duties earlier this week. Kansas City has won three of the past four meetings with Cleveland but has gone 0-3 ATS in the last three. The Buccaneers are also going back to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick under center after Jameis Winston threw four interceptions last week, although they have gone just 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS in the previous 10 games against the Panthers.

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